Walking Your Dog at Night: Essential Safety Tips

Now that the long nights are upon us here are a few tips to keep you and your pet safe at night.

Leash Recommendations: Always keep your dog on a leash. Even if your dog is perfect off leash you will want to maintain control in case of an emergency and you need to move your dog quickly. You may want to avoid retractable leashes at night as they provide much less control over your dog. A reflective collar and leash are recommended if you are walking on the street.

Visibility: You and your dog need to be visible. Wear light colored clothing. A reflective safety vest or a headlamp adds extra visibility. For your dog you can try a reflective safety vest as well or a light that attaches to their collar.  You could also try a lighted collar and leash or a reflective collar and leash.

Walking on Sidewalks: When walking, if possible, stay on the sidewalk of a well-lit road and avoid dark lots or alleyways. If you can’t walk on the sidewalk, walk against traffic so you can see the cars coming at you. Be prepared to move quickly if the cars don’t see you.

Avoiding Earbuds:  Since visibility may be limited at night you need to be able to hear what is going on. Leave the earbuds at home when walking your dog at night. Always be aware of your surroundings at night as it may be difficult to see danger coming.

Carrying a Phone:  Carry your phone, most phones have a flashlight feature and it’s always good to be prepared in case you run into trouble. Be sure to have emergency numbers stored in your phone for quick access.

Using Flashlights: If your phone does not have a light you may want to bring a flashlight to help see when cleaning up after your dog. Head lamps are also great as they are hands-free.

Wild Animals: Be aware of wild animals at night. Raccoons and skunks usually come out after dark. While most animals won’t come after you or your dog, it’s still a good idea to keep your distance. Be especially aware if it is trash night and there a garbage pails on the street. The garbage will attract the animals and they may be concentrating on the garbage making them easier to startle. Also, make sure your pets are up to date on all vaccines.

Walking Routes: It is a good idea to plan the walking route in advance to avoid potentially unsafe areas. It may be difficult to see hazards on the road or on the sidewalk if the area is not well lit.

Do you have any tips or suggestions or tips that we have left out? Is there something you do on your nightly walks? Please leave them in the comments below. Be sure to share these tips with other dog owners.

Be safe out there!